Credit: European Patent Office (EPO)
We're working with intellectual property (IP) offices in Europe and Singapore so we can offer Australian businesses more choice when protecting their inventions overseas.
In 2024, more than 21,000 Australian patent applications were filed via the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the system that allows applicants to file a single ‘international’ patent application in multiple countries.
Currently, applicants filing in Australia can choose IP Australia or the Korean IP Office as the International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA), as part of their PCT filing strategy.
Partnering with the European Patent Office
We've agreed to a pilot allowing Australian filers to select the European Patent Office (EPO) as the ISA and IPEA for PCT applications, following a meeting with EPO President Antonio Campinos in Munich ahead of the World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly. The 2-year pilot is expected to start in 2026.
MOU signed with the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore
At a bilateral meeting with the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation between the offices, providing a foundation to allow Australian filers to choose IPOS as an ISA and IPEA in the future.
These agreements aim to help Australian patent applicants save costs and expedite protection in Europe when the EPO has conducted the international search, and provide access to search, examination and language expertise offered by IPOS.
We're committed to exploring new opportunities to provide customers with greater choice and flexibility in managing their IP. This is aligned to our purpose to enable Australians to benefit from great ideas by providing a world-leading IP system.
We will continue to work closely with our stakeholders, EPO and IPOS to confirm the details and timelines for both arrangements in the coming months and will share further information before these arrangements commence.